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How Do I Keep Casseroles and Pies Hot With a Limited Power Supply?

Burgundy mobile catering trailer serving hot casseroles and pies from a bain-marie at a UK outdoor event

Burgundy mobile catering trailer serving hot casseroles and pies from a bain-marie at a UK outdoor event

I'm doing a temporary pop-up in a place with limited electricity supply and I need to find a solution for being able to keep casseroles, pies etc. hot. I have soup kettles for curries, chillies, soups etc, but not sure what I can do for 'dry' foods.

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Sep 30, 2026
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by: MobCater

Keeping wet foods hot is the easy part, your soup kettles have that covered. Pies and casseroles are the ones that catch people out, so let me walk you through what I would do.

The first thing to fix in your mind is the target temperature. In the UK, hot food has to be held at 63°C or above, so whatever you use has to hold that properly, not just keep things vaguely warm. With a limited electricity supply, I would look at gas before anything else. A propane bain-marie is the workhorse of mobile catering for exactly this situation, because it runs off a gas bottle rather than your electric hook-up. Go for a dry bain-marie, the type that does not need a water tray, as it is ideal for dry foods like casseroles and pies. You drop your gastronorm dishes straight in, there is no spillage, and your pastry stays crisp rather than going soggy.

Alongside that, insulated hot boxes (the Cambro-style front-loading ones) are worth their weight in gold. They use no gas and no electricity at all, they simply hold the heat that is already in the food. I use them for carrying hot food to a pitch and for holding a topped-up batch during a rush. They will not cook or reheat, so the food has to go in properly hot, but for a pop-up with no power they make a brilliant backup.

The habit that makes the biggest difference is cooking in smaller batches and refreshing from your prep, rather than holding a big quantity hot for hours. Food that sits too long dries out and loses quality even when it is perfectly safe. Pre-cook a sensible amount, hold that, and top up as you sell.

One tool I would never trade without is a simple temperature probe, they are only about £5 to £15. Do not guess, check. I once had a customer at a football match who would not order because a previous outlet had let him down, so I showed him the probe reading straight out of the bain-marie. He ordered, the people behind him noticed, and it turned into a proper little run of sales. That probe paid for itself many times over.

One safety note before you buy anything gas powered: a propane bain-marie must be fitted and certified by a Gas Safe registered engineer, it is never a DIY job. There is a plain-English rundown of griddle versus bain-marie and what you actually need in the free MobCater app, and the temperature logger keeps your hot-holding checks in an EHO-ready record.

Best wishes

David

Disclaimer: Food safety rules are updated from time to time. Always check the latest FSA guidance and speak to your local EHO for the most current requirements in your area.

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